Potential issue if multiple administrators are working on the same object type at the same time

Answer

The scenario is this:

1. Two Content Manager OnDemand administrators log into the OnDemand Administrator client, each on their own workstation.
2. Both administrators double-click on 'Users' to work with the list of defined users.
3. Administrator #1 deletes an existing user.
4. Administrator #2 copies any user and attempts to add a new user.

The result is a "User ID or UID already exists" message. The message is sent because the UID number that was used for the new user is the same as the UID number for the deleted user. After the deletion, the UID number becomes available on the server, but the UID number still exists in the user list on the workstation of Administrator #2. This list doesn't contain the latest information from the server so the user that was deleted by Administrator #1 is still in the list. The user list can be refreshed by pressing F5 or by clicking the View menu and selecting Refresh List from the menu when the user list is displayed. However, this does not guarantee that the list contains the latest information if multiple administrators are working with users at the same time.

There is nothing that stops multiple administrators from logging on to the same server with the OnDemand Administrator client at the same time. Multiple administrators can add, update, and delete different objects. The problem occurs when the administrators are trying to work with the same object type at the same time. Also, if two administrators are adding a user at the same time, each user could get assigned the same UID number since the UID number is determined when the Add a User dialog is displayed. Depending on which administrator clicks OK first (to add the user), the other administrator will get an error message that says the user already exists.

As another example, both administrators generate a list of users on the OnDemand Administrator client. The list of users for each administrator does not contain the user name of NEWUSER. Then, both administrators try to add a new user called NEWUSER. Depending on which administrator clicks OK first (to add the user), the other administrator will get an error message that says the user already exists.

As a final example, Administrator #1 selects USER1 to update. The OnDemand Administrator client queries the server for the attributes of USER1 and displays them in the Update a User dialog. Administrator #2 also selects USER1 to update. The OnDemand Administrator client queries the server for the attributes of USER1 and displays them in the Update a User dialog for Administrator #2. If Administrator #1 makes changes to USER1 and saves the changes by pressing OK before Administrator #2 has selected USER1 for update, Administrator #2 will see the changes to USER1 that Administrator #1 made. However, if Administrator #2 selects USER1 for update before Administrator #1 has pressed OK, the information shown for USER1 will not be the latest information. If Administrator #2 makes changes to USER1, the changes will override what changes were made by Adminstrator #1.

A similar issue can occur when using the ARSXML batch administration program. If two administrators run ARSXML to add a user at the same time and both input XML files reference the same user ID or UID number, one administrator will add the user and the other administrator will get the message that the user already exists. Similarly, if two administrators run ARSXML to update a user at the same time and both input XML files reference the same user ID, both administrators will update the user. However, the administrator that runs ARSXML last will overwrite the updated information from the administrator that ran ARSXML first.

Unexpected results can occur if multiple administrators are working with any Content Manager OnDemand object type (such as groups, applications, application groups, folders, etc.) at the same time. Therefore, it is recommended that different object types are maintained by different administrators. For example, one administrator can be designated as the user administrator and another administrator can be designated as the report administrator to maintain applications, application groups, folders, and cabinets.